After dispatching Los Angeles FC on matchday one, Chelsea will be targeting another victory when they face Flamengo in Friday's Club World Cup clash in Philadelphia.
The Brazilian side are also looking to claim back-to-back victories after seeing off Esperance de Tunis in their opening match.
Match preview
Flamengo's Jorginho pictured in June 2025
Flamengo are one of four teams competing at the Club World Cup after securing qualification via their 2022 Copa Libertadores triumph.
The Brazilian side are coached by former Chelsea left-back Filipe Luis, who has made a remarkable start to his senior managerial career, having overseen 32 wins, 11 draws and three defeats in 46 competitive matches since he took over the reins last September.
In fact, Luis's side currently sit top of the Brasileiro table after winning seven, drawing three and losing one of their opening 11 matches of the 2025 season.
Flamengo have put their title bid on hold to focus on their Club World Cup campaign, which began with a 2-0 win over Tunisian side Esperance de Tunis, courtesy of goals from Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Luiz Araujo.
That result represented the club's fifth consecutive win in all competitions, making it nine games without defeat since losing to Cruzeiro on May 4.
The Brazilian giants have also recorded four successive clean sheets, although they will be aware that their sturdy backline will be severely tested in Friday's contest.
Pedro Neto celebrates after scoring for Chelsea on June 16, 2025
Chelsea entered the expanded Club World Cup in a confident mood after they produced a strong finish to the 2024-25 campaign to win a trophy and secure a top-five finish.
The Blues came from behind to hammer Real Betis 4-1 in last month’s Conference League final, just days after they secured fourth spot in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
Enzo Maresca is now tasked with leading Chelsea to their second Club World Cup, after the club previously won the 2021 competition following a 2-1 extra-time victory over Palmeiras.
Chelsea made a successful start to their bid to win the 2025 tournament, claiming a comfortable 2-0 victory in Monday’s meeting with MLS side LAFC, thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.
As a result of the victory, the West London club have now won nine of their last 10 competitive matches, showcasing their defensive strength with three clean sheets in their previous four outings.
The Blues know that they will secure a last-16 place with a game to spare if they win their first-ever meeting with Flamengo and Esperance de Tunis fail to take three points from their game against LAFC.
Flamengo form (all competitions)
D W W W W W
Chelsea form (all competitions)
W L W W W W
Team News
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez celebrates with Liam Delap on June 16, 2025
Midfielder Jorginho is set to face his former club after playing 74 minutes in his Flamengo debut against Esperance de Tunis.
Ex-Juventus defender Alex Sandro will hope to prove his fitness in time for Friday's fixture after missing matchday one with an injury issue.
De Arrascaeta should continue in the number 10 role, having scored three goals in the last four competitive appearances for Flamengo.
The Uruguayan international could operate just behind Bruno Henrique, who is pushing to get the nod over Pedro.
Meanwhile, Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana is continuing to work on his recovery from hamstring surgery, while Mykhaylo Mudryk is still serving a provisional suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
Djordje Petrovic, Axel Disasi, Raheem Sterling and Joao Felix were all left out of the Club World Cup ahead of their expected departures this summer.
Fernandez is set to come into the starting lineup after finding the net as a half-time substitute in the win over LAFC.
Summer signing Liam Delap came off the bench to provide the assist for Fernandez on his debut, and the former Ipswich Town forward is now in contention to make his first Chelsea start.
Flamengo possible starting lineup:
Rossi; Varela, Ortiz, Pereira, Sandro; Pulgar, Jorginho; Gerson, De Arrascaeta, Araujo; Henrique
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Delap
Expert view
Guilherme Calvano, Flamengo expert
Flamengo vs Chelsea has everything to be one of the most interesting matches of this Club World Cup group stage.
Boosted after a win against Esperance, the red-and-black team arrives confidently for the second round. The Blues are the favourites, but I don't expect a reactive and observant Flamengo in the match.
This tactical duel will be interesting to watch, since both teams like to control possession and dictate the pace of the match.
The question that remains is: who will win in this topic? Filipe Luís' chances of making changes to the team are not small.
Rested in the opening match, Alex Sandro should return to the starting lineup against Chelsea. In addition to his experience in Europe, the left-back is a defensive pillar for Flamengo and a trusted man for the coaching staff.
Perhaps the main doubt is in the attacking command. Still lacking physical strength, Pedro has not been performing well since returning from a serious knee injury. Given Chelsea's characteristics, I wouldn't be surprised if Gonzalo Plata or Bruno Henrique — more mobile players — were to take the number nine spot.
Overall, I believe it will be a balanced game, with good individual duels — especially in midfield — and tactical variations on both sides. Chelsea are the favourites, but the quality of Filipe Luís's work, combined with the English team's defensive inconsistency, makes Flamengo believe in victory.
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We say: Flamengo 1-2 Chelsea
Flamengo have proven to be a tough team to beat under Felipe Luis, and we think they will run Chelsea close in Friday's meeting in Philadelphia, but we believe the Premier League side will have the cutting edge required to claim a narrow victory on matchday two.
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